Babysitter convicted of fatally beating toddler is headed to prison, CO officials say
A man accused of “severely” beating a toddler he was babysitting will spend the rest of his life behind bars in connection with the girl’s death, Colorado prosecutors said.
Andy Carter, 29, was sentenced to life in prison without parole following a three-week trial, the Weld County District Attorney’s Office said in a Feb. 19 news release.
McClatchy News couldn’t immediately reach Carter’s attorney Feb. 19 for comment.
The man’s attorney argued in court that he tried to help the child, the Greeley Tribune reported. Carter said he’d put the 18-month-old on a couch while using the bathroom and then found her a short time later on the ground in vomit, the outlet reported.
Carter was dating the child’s mother when he agreed to babysit on July 2, 2021, in Greeley, according to prosecutors.
He’s accused of “severely” beating the girl, named Emorie Goodro, who was hospitalized and died from her injuries, prosecutors said.
The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and brain, prosecutors said, citing medical experts.
During the sentencing hearing, Emorie’s mother said “there’s an emptiness inside of me that will haunt me for the rest of my life” and “I have no doubt that my girl would have changed the world,” according to prosecutors.
The toddler “was cherished. She was happy and healthy and was a delight to be around. It’s impossible to quantify the pain that this family has endured. It’s also impossible to quantify the happiness Emorie brought to people,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Arynn Clark said during the hearing, according to the release.
“This family now has a life sentence of their own as they move forward and have to live without this absolutely precious and perfect little girl,” Clark said.
Greeley is about a 65-mile drive northeast from Denver.
This story was originally published February 20, 2025 at 4:50 AM with the headline "Babysitter convicted of fatally beating toddler is headed to prison, CO officials say."
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